Identity
by Vita Brevis
Summary: NEW CHAPTER is up Harry discovered some startling truth about his parentage which caused him to redefine himself. Another Snape as Harry's father, but with major twist. Chapter 3 is up: Sirius dropped the bomb. DISCONTINUED
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. They belong to JK Rowling who, unfortunately, hasn't finished the 5th book. 

Summary: Harry discovered some startling truth about his parentage which caused him to redefine himself.

Warning: Implied slash. No sexual content. (there ARE smooch, peck, kiss, hug, but nothing more) 

**Identity**

It was an ordinary sunny day in the Burrow. Molly Weasley was cooking while watching her sons Fred and George grudgingly clean up the kitchen after a disastrous experiment for their future joke shop left the kitchen purple and yellow. Ron was playing a mock Quidditch match with Harry while Hermione was sitting under a tree. She was reading a Muggle book, her parents' in fact, about the human body. Of course, her preference of activity had earned her teasing from her best friends.

All in all, it was a peaceful afternoon. 

Of course, all thanks should be addressed to the Boy-Who-Once-Again-Defeated-Voldemort. Together with Dumbledore, he cast the Killing Curse, followed by Incendio which burned the Dark Lord's body with unquenchable flames. Voldemort would forever regret the day he took Harry's blood. That was, if he could regret anything.

The fight wasn't easy. They had lost many people during the war, including Professor McGonagall, Madam Hooch, Ginny, Cho Chang's parents, Professor Sinistra, Blaise Zabini, and many people Harry couldn't recall specifically. Sirius had been seriously injured and now was being treated in St. Mungo's. The mediwizards speculated that it would take three months before he could completely recover and be able to walk properly again. Thank Merlin that his name had been cleared! Unfortunately, the Ministry refused to give him custody over Harry, arguing that he was incapable to meet Harry's needs financially and emotionally. Remus Lupin had pledged for the custody and the trial would be held next week. They only had a slim chance to win, however, for the prejudice against a werewolf was as strong as ever. Harry could only hope that Dumbledore's and Mr. Weasley's influence would be able to convince the judges to decide otherwise. 

"Hey, I beat you this time!" exclaimed Ron, lifting up the Snitch proudly.

"Not fair, you used my Firebolt!"

"Fair. You _are_ the Quidditch Captain."

"Okay, Okay, you win." Harry was half grumbling. 

Ron grinned madly at his rare success in Quidditch. "Come on. It's almost dinnertime." He landed and ran to his house, followed by Hermione and Harry. 

---

Dinner was uneventful. Fred and George were too tired to play any pranks. Mr. Weasley hadn't returned from the office. Percy was quiet as usual. Ever since Penelope's death, he had been a changed man, not haughty or compulsively neat anymore, but quiet and pensive. Ginny's death was the final blow. He had quit from his job at the Ministry and now was studying Wizarding Law in University to be a lawyer. 

So many pains, Harry sighed inwardly. He missed Sirius badly. He was furious at the Ministry's decision, but could do nothing. He just hoped Lupin would get the custody. If he had to return to the Dursleys again, he swore to every demon and dark lord that he would be Voldemort's successor, consequences be damned.

Well, maybe not. But he was certain that the consequences would be dire for certain prejudiced, idiotic people in the Ministry who did not realized that they had just prompted a war with the Boy-Who-Is-Powerful-Enough-To-Defeat-Voldemort.

Harry felt his appetite was gone, but continued eating. He didn't want to disappoint Mrs. Weasley. The death of her only daughter was a hard blow for her. She was not as loud and warm as she had been before, though she tried as hard as she could to act normal. Harry still felt the pang of guilt for Ginny's death. If only he had killed Voldemort sooner… 

"Earth to Harry. Earth to Harry!" 

Harry blinked and found Ron was watching him worriedly. "What?"

"Are you finished yet? We're planning on helping Remus sort your family's documents, remember?" 

Harry nodded and brought his dishes to the sink. It was George's turn to wash the dishes, so he didn't feel bad leaving them there. He climbed up the stairs and entered Ron's room. 

Papers, maps, and all sort of documents were scattered on the floor. Hermione was frowning while trying to decide the best way to sort the files. Ron already was busy reading a document. Harry sat and frowned too. Such a mess! He wished he could use Percy's help, but he was reluctant to ask. Pensive Percy was scarier than Neat Percy. Thank to every deity existing, they had Hermione. 

"Okay. I think we have to sort the files according to the owner. These files, for example, are your father's documents. Sort those according to the date. His birth certificate goes first, and then his first medical record and so on. Ron, you work on Harry's documents. Harry, you work on your mother's, and I'll work on your father's." Hermione commanded. She asked Harry to work on his mother's documents on purpose. She knew that Harry fervently wished to know his mother better. People rarely spoke of her; they usually compared him to James. 

Ron and Harry nodded and began to work. 

"Hey, Harry. You almost died when you were three years old!" Suddenly Ron spoke up.

"What???" 

"Here, look at this." Ron pointed at the medical record. "You got in a nasty car accident. You lost so much blood that you needed a blood transfusion."

"B–," read Hermione. "They must have used B–, or else you would have died, because they could not found AB– type, which is yours. But you survived, thank Merlin!" 

"Why couldn't they find an AB- donor for me?"

"Because it's the rarest type of blood on earth. The chance of having this blood type is one in few millions or so."

"Wicked!" Ron was amazed.

Harry was not. He shuddered and thanked whichever god who listened that Voldemort had been killed, and therefore lessened the chance he would need blood transfusion again.

Hermione laughed. "Oh Harry, we don't need blood transfusion in the wizarding world. We can create blood."

"What?" Ron and Harry exclaimed. 

"Well, not exactly create. Blood Enhancer Potion will increase the amount of your blood within seconds. The mediwizard only needs to know your blood type before adding the final ingredient to the potion. You need to add lily petal for A type blood, violet for B type, both petals for AB  type, and none for O type. What's interesting is that wizards or witches who invent the Potion coded blood types according to the Potion's last ingredients: L for A type, V for B, LV for AB type, that is yours, and O for O. No need to pay attention to your rhesus here because it's your blood reproducing itself instead of being transferred from another person." 

Ron eyed her suspiciously. "I don't recall there being any question about that potion in our potions homework."

"Unlike some people, I *do* find Potion interesting."

"Are you mad? Potions, interesting?"

"Yes, in fact, I do find it interesting. I plan to work in medical research after I graduate. I want to know if it's possible to combine Muggle science and magic."

Ron rolled his eyes. Harry grinned at their antics and returned to work.

"Do you think my grandparents knew about the Blood Enhancer thing, Hermione?"

"Huh?"

"My mother's blood type was L."

"Come on Harry, there must be thousands of people with that name. Besides, your grandparents are Muggles, right?"

"Yea. Well, it's just a coincidence then. Besides, Aunt Petunia was surely not named after the potion ingredient."

Ron laughed. "Perhaps they couldn't see the similarity between a violet flower and your aunt." Harry laughed too, and the matter was soon forgotten. 

It was soon brought to their attention again. Hermione was scanning a document when she suddenly froze in shock.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Could I borrow your mother's medical record?"

"Which one? Magical or Muggle?"

"Can I have both please?"

"What for?"

"Nothing important." Her eyes betrayed her emotion, though. She was nervous, even a little panic. 

"No. What?" Harry insisted.

"I need to check it first, Harry. And Ron, give me Harry's Muggle and Magical Record."

Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged. They handed the mentioned documents to Hermione. They watched her curiously while she checked the documents quickly, biting down her lower lip. Her eyes widened and she closed the documents hastily. Too hastily. 

"Mione, what is it?"

"Nothing," she answered quickly and averted her gaze to her documents. 

"Hermione, please. Is there anything you find about my parents and me? Illness or something?"

"No, Harry. It's nothing really, I could be wrong. Documents could be wrong, Harry."

"What? What's wrong?"

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment and sighed. "All right. It's just weird."

"What? What's weird?" Harry was very worried now. What could he have that was so weird? It was as if having the scar wasn't weird enough. Why couldn't his life be normal like everyone else's?

"Your blood type, Harry."

"Yes. What's wrong with my blood type?"

"Your blood type can't possibly be AB."

"Why?"

"Because neither of your parents have the B."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes Harry. Someone who has AB blood type must have at least a parent with the B type or AB type. Your mother and father have the same blood type: A, or L in Wizarding world." She didn't dare meet Harry's eyes.

"What???"

"What???"

Hermione sighed. "I could be wrong, okay?"

"You? Wrong? The chance is even rarer than having AB- type!"

Harry was speechless, but he knew Hermione was right. He distantly remembered his class at his Muggle school. That meant… that meant… that meant… his parents weren't his parents. At least one of them. Oh God. 

His world dissolved into darkness. 

A/N: The Blood Enhancer and the last ingredients thingy is my idea. Is this in character? Please, I need your feedback.

Also, this fic isn't beta-ed. I am not an English speaker though I have written in English for a year. Generally, I am not too fond of beta reader, because I don't like troubling people. But if you feel that my English is unacceptable or if you want to beta read this fic, please feel free to tell me. 


	2. 2

"Harry, wake up mate."

Harry felt a wet cool cloth pressed against his forehead. Why? What was wrong? Oh yes, he had passed out. He blinked a few times and saw Ron's face hovering on his face. 

"Are you alright?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe not."

Ron nodded in sympathy. "Understandable. If I were you, I would freak out too."

Harry sighed. His life had always been complicated and full of secrets, but this was the worst of all. So he was not James and Lily Potter's son. Who was he, then?

"Find anything else, Mione?"

"Just that your mother, Lily Potter, really was pregnant and gave birth on July 31th, your birthday. She delivered at home, though, not at St. Mungo's."

"You mean that my father isn't James Potter?"

"I don't think so. You two are so alike, Harry. It's almost impossible for two unrelated persons to share an almost exact look."

"Maybe the one who got my mother pregnant looks like my father?"

"Your father didn't have any siblings, according to his documents. The only living relative you had when your parents passed away was your aunt Petunia." 

"Glamourie?" They had covered the glamourie lesson the year before. There were several varieties of the spell, including some designed to grow along with the person.

"It isn't. I just did the counter-spell on you while you were unconscious. There isn't a single sign of the glamourie spell. Besides, Professor McGonagall would know if any of her students wear it."

"How will she know?" Ron asked incredulously. "Does she check on us one by one? If she does, I never notice!"

"Of course you don't! She does that quietly. It's her obligation as Head of the House to ensure each student's true identity. It's in _Hogwarts a History_, everyone knows it."

"You're the only one who knows then." Ron snickered. 

"Shut it."

"Stop it, you two!" Harry groaned. 

Both his friends blushed. "Sorry," they said in the same time. 

"What do we do now?" Hermione asked as her curiosity peaked dangerously. She couldn't bear not knowing; she would do anything to gain the knowledge she sought. "Knowledge is power" was the motto she lived with and that had helped the trio countless times in their adventures, including defeating Voldemort.

"Ask Sirius or Remus, of course!" Harry said. "They were my parents' closest friends."

"Do they know?" Ron doubted. "After all, they always treat you like your father's son."

Harry shook his head. "I can't believe my mom was cheating on my dad," he said despondently. He buried his head in his hands, feeling once again that he was Fate's favorite prank. Tears started to well up in his eyes, but he held them back, refusing to cry in front of his best friends. 

"Everything will be fine, Harry," Hermione comforted him. She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. "We don't care who your parents are. We'll be always be there for you. Right, Ron?" 

The red head nodded vigorously. "Of course! You are our friend, Harry, and nothing's gonna change that." He put one of his hands around Harry and the other around Hermione. The three of them embraced as understanding flowed silently between them, offering comfort and assurance in the chaos of the world. 

**********

The next day, the trio visited Remus as soon as they finished their breakfast. Harry decided that he didn't want to wait to find his true parentage. He had enough of living in the never-ending web of lies of who he truly was! People always gave cliché excuse for keeping things from him: "you are too young"; "it is for your own good"; "you are not ready". Harry's blood was boiling as he thought about it. He clenched his fists so hard they left marks on his palms. 

"Harry, you okay?" asked Hermione who had paid close attention to her best friend since they left the Burrow. 

"No," Harry gritted his teeth.

Ron didn't reply to that. He knew Harry's outburst was not to be taken lightly. He squeezed Harry's shoulder. "We're here," he said when they reached their destination: a small cottage in the middle of the forest. Remus' home. 

They found their favorite teacher weeding in his small but beautiful garden. He hadn't expected their coming, but he was very pleased nonetheless. Smiling widely, he took off his gloves and embraced Harry. 

He let go of him and faced the trio, still smiling as if Christmas had come early. "What a pleasant surprise! Come in." 

They entered and sat on the old sofas. Remus went to the kitchen to fetch some drinks. Harry still wore his tense expression, though he had unclenched his fists. Ron and Hermione looked at each other and fidgeted in their seats. 

"What brings you here? Have you finished with the documents? I was not expecting you to work so quickly. They're not needed until next week."

Harry couldn't stand it anymore. "Who's my father, Remus?" he blurted out.

Remus frowned. "What's the matter, Harry? Why are you asking me that?"

Harry stood up and yelled, half hysterically. "I am sick of it! I am sick of being lied to! Who the FUCK is my father!?"

Remus was stunned at Harry's unusual emotional display, especially the use of his language. Harry NEVER used such crude language in front of anyone, at least not in front of him. 

"Hey, calm down mate!" Ron quickly gave a glass of lemonade to Harry who was almost hyperventilating now. 

Remus turned to Hermione who turned away, avoiding his scrutinizing gaze. "What's the matter, Hermione?"

The girl fidgeted before answering in a barely audible voice. "We found out that Harry's father isn't James Potter."

"Shocked" was an understatement—Remus almost fainted. He looked at Harry who was being embraced by Ron, his chest heaving, and then to Hermione who clearly looked very uncomfortable.

"What," he asked slowly, "exactly are you saying? That Harry isn't James' son?"

Hermione nodded. 

"How? When? Who?"

Hermione swallowed. "We found out when we sorted the documents yesterday." And she explained everything. 

Having listened to Hermione extraordinary explanation, Remus sighed deeply. God, how could this be? He leaned to his seat and closed his eyes. "Harry, I truly don't know about this. It really surprised me, and not in a good way."

Harry snorted. "Imagine how I felt when I found out." He had released himself from Ron's embrace. 

Remus nodded and opened his eyes. "I was very close to your father and mother, Harry. I don't know everything about them though, but one thing I am sure, they loved each other deeply and would never have deliberately cheated on each other."

"Then how?"

Remus shook his head. "I must admit though, I was rather distant from them right after they got married because I went to Romania to find cure for my lycanthropy. When I returned, you were a few months old. I saw you once and then you and your parents went into hiding. I don't know where, of course."

"They thought you were the traitor." 

"Yes." It sounded painful for Remus to say that. "Voldemort told all werewolves that he could make the monthly transformation painless."

Harry had calmed down a great deal. So Remus hadn't lied to him. Funny, he was more relieved than not he didn't get the knowledge of his true parentage from Remus. That meant he could still trust him.

"I'm sorry," Harry said while putting on his hand on Remus' knee. 

The werewolf smiled. "It's ok. You have every right to be mad."

"Does Sirius know, though?" asked Hermione. 

"I'm not sure. You'll have to ask him," Remus replied. 

"We will," Harry said. "We'll visit him in St. Mungo's today. Will you come with us?" he said hopefully. Whatever answer he would get, he would need Remus by his side. If not for support, then for preventing any fatal outburst.

"I will. Now, I'll prepare lunch and we'll go there after lunch, okay?"

The three of them nodded. 

******

A/N: this is NOT HP/RW slash! Thanks to Lizz for beta reading. 

Response to reviewer: 

LoMaRiBa: thanks for your input. I have a beta now. Thanks to Lizzy.

Kateydidn't: yes, I know about that blood thing. Lucky that the rarest blood type can receive from other types isn't it?

Sever Us: thanks for your input. I must remember it, it's very easy to slip on that "quite" and "quiet" one you know.

Rickman's girl: O –sigma? You mean Blood Connection by Viscountess Babbles on? It's a terribly good fic and I RECOMMEND IT to everyone who loves a little twist of Harry as Snape son. I based my plot on hers, with a little twist. So if you are so curious about what happens next, read her fic. It will give you some hints. 

Riddlerr: No None Sense: Hermione checks on 3 of their medical records: Harry's, James', and Lilly's. She just asked for Harry's first, and then his mother's. Since she sorted James', she already had his medical record in hand. Harry joked that Lilly was named after her magical blood type? She realized that she had seen James' and that James' type was A ( or L ) too and thus it was impossible for them to have a son with AB blood type. The revelation shocked her tremendously and she felt the need to check their medical records to avoid making false assumption.

LadySnape, Saavik, xicum, Raquel, Silver Angel, Usagi-Princess, Lady Lightning, WitchWay, Rain_Cynara, Radcliff lover: thank you very much for your support on this fic! Also thank you for complimenting my English. Now that I have a beta, I can write better. 


	3. 3

A/N: *bow* to Lizz for beta reading. Thank you.

**Chapter 3**

St. Mungo's was a quiet but eerie place. All of its walls and windows were painted white, without any decoration to ease the Spartan atmosphere. Harry hated St. Mungo's. He could not begin to think of how Sirius could survive living in the hospital for more than a day, let alone for three months. But hey, the man had survived Azkaban for twelve years!

"You are truly brave, Sirius." Harry smiled at his godfather, who was eating Mrs. Weasley's homemade cakes ravenously, as if he hadn't eaten for months (which might have been true, considering the yucky food the hospital provided for its inhabitants). Sirius was half sitting, propped by pillows, as it was still too tiring for him to sit upright. Ron and Hermione decided to wait outside to give Harry more space to talk about his problem with Sirius. 

Sirius only raised an eyebrow, waiting for Harry's remark, since his mouth was full.

Harry laughed. "You've survived months in this horrid place. Even Snape's classroom isn't as hellish."

"'Really?" Sirius mumbled and grabbed another piece of fruitcake. 

"Yeah." Harry smiled. He was truly glad to see that Sirius had improved, considering how bad he had been after the Battle. The animagus had been in a coma for weeks, scaring the hell out of his godson and his friends. Truthfully, Harry wouldn't know what he would do if Sirius, the only person closest as a parent to him, was gone too. 

'Parent.' Harry sighed inwardly, reminded of his earlier predicament.  

"Sirius," Harry said carefully after Sirius finished all his cakes in a considerably short amount of time.

"Yes?"

"Er…I've got something to ask you." 

"Ok," Sirius said cheerfully, not noticing Harry's uneasiness. 

"Please don't be mad or something, though." Harry wondered if Sirius even knew the truth. Remus didn't. Besides, Sirius would have told him if he knew. Oh, God. He wondered if he should even tell Sirius, as he wasn't yet well. But it was too late now. Sirius would never give up until he knew what Harry wanted to tell him in the first place.

Sirius frowned. "'Course not. Why should I?"

"It's rather weird." Weird was the understatement of the year.

"Okay…?" Now the animagus noticed that something was wrong, very wrong. It was highly unusual for his godson to show such high amount of discomfiture. Like the way Harry was cracking his knuckles, for example. Sirius had only seen him do this once, when preparing for the final battle. "What's wrong, Harry?"

"Hermione found something…" There, he crackled his knuckles again. Harry didn't even meet his eyes. Something was VERY wrong here.

"What did she find?" Sirius's curiosity peaked to unbearable height.

"I…well… I… was not…"

"Yes?"

"I'm not my parents's son," Harry mumbled hastily. 

"What? I didn't hear you."

"I am not my parents's son."

Silence. 

"What?" Sirius said calmly. Too calmly. "WHAT?!"

Harry winced. 

"How… how?" Sirius was stuttering.

"My blood type doesn't fit with my parents'. There is no way I can have an AB type if both my mom and dad have the A type." Mom and Dad? Do I have the right to call them that now? 

Sirius took a deep breath, trying hard to calm himself. "Harry, are you sure it isn't a mistake?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't see how it could possibly be a mistake. The medical records are pretty clear. And both of the Muggle and Wizarding ones state the same thing: both of my parents had blood type A, and mine is AB."

"How do you know about blood type thing?"

"'Mione told me. She had been studying genetic from Muggle and Wizarding medical books."

Sirius snorted. "That's Hermione for you, always knows all."

"Yeah." Harry absentmindedly flattened Sirius's sheet. "I freaked out at Remus, you know," he said rather sheepishly. 

"I don't blame you."

"So? You know something about it?" 

"Actually, yes."

"What?!"

Sirius sighed deeply. "Harry, are you sure you want to know?"

"Of course I do! Don't you think I have the right to know who my parents are? What do you think, I'll be happy to live my entire life in a LIE? How could you, Sirius? You knew, but never told me anything! How could you?!"

"Harry, calm down!"

"No… You lied to me!" Harry was beyond angry. 

"I didn't!"

"Yes, you did!"

Sirius took a deep breath again. "Look, I was sworn to secrecy, all right? I should have kept this until you're twenty one, or until something significant happened."

"Does a 'something significant' include me finding out by myself?"

Sirius rubbed his forehead. "Maybe."

"Then you can tell me. It won't break your oath." Harry stood beside his godfather and folded his arms, waiting.

"All right all right. God, I don't even know how to start."

"Start with who, then."

Sirius shook his head. "No. No. Let's start from why."

"Okay."

"Sit."

Harry sat.

"Okay… well… Oh God, this is hard. Okay, first of all, James and Lily DO love each other. They did not betray each other or anything of that sort."

Harry nodded.

"They married and everything was perfect. Only one thing though, Lily was infertile, though her womb was completely healthy. It was a rare case of infertility, which sometimes happens in Muggle-born witches. Maybe that is why the purebloods look down at them, I'm not sure.

"They both desperately wanted a child. And when I said desperately, I really mean DESPERATELY, so desperate that they decided to use some kind of Dark Magic. A magic that allowed Lily to be a surrogate mother, carrying a child that was not hers. You surely know about surrogate mothers, don't you?"

Harry nodded. He had heard about it once while he watched the telly in Mrs. Figg's house.

"Well, so they needed another person to donate his seed."

"Seed? Do you mean sperm? From a male?" Harry said disbelievingly.  

"Yes. You see, in order to commit this hazardous task, they needed a potion, the name of which I forgot. Too long and it's in Greek. " Sirius added wryly, recalling his dreadful Ancient Runes professor. "Anyway, this potion was basically designed for male couples who wanted to have children on their own. So, the main ingredients would be seeds from two males, not a sperm and an egg cell."

"Okay…" Dear Merlin, this was getting weirder and weirder. Harry had known there were many unthinkable things that could be done in the Wizarding World. He just never thought the eccentricity could extent to *this*.  And he was part of it. A child between two males. 

"One of your fathers is James of course."

"And the other?"

"Are you sure you wanna know? Ignorance really IS bliss, you know. Especially in this case."

Uh oh. 

"Yes."

"Well, in that case…"

"Who, Sirius? Is he you?"

"James asked me, and I agreed. But then something happened."

"What?"

"Snape took over."

Harry almost fainted. 

******

(tbc)

Response to reviewers:

Thank you for all who reviewed this fic! I am so honored! And thanks a lot to demented kitten and eos snake-eyes snape who put me into their favorite author list!

Lee lee potter: hehe, you caught that. Well, they were not exactly cheating, weren't they?

Saavik: wow, I am so flattered. I must say that it's the best praise I ever expected: realistic and human. Thanks.

LoMaRiba: Sirius's feet are injured. *points at chapter 1*. Now your questions are answered, what do you think bout this explanation of Harry's parentage? Just a little twist from ordinary snape is Harry's dad. 

Silver Angel: thank you! I am so glad, and I mean SO GLAD you like Harry's reaction.

Viscountess: a compliment from an inspiring author such as you really makes my day. Thanks. And DO continue the sequel to Blood Connection. 

Radcliffe-lover: now that you know, what do you think about it? The plot I mean.   


	4. 4

**Chapter 4**

"Snape? SNAPE?" Ron looked at Harry incredulously.

"Calm down! Do you want everyone to hear?" hissed the exasperated Harry. "Yes, Snape's my 'other' father."

Ron sat beside Hermione, still with the incredulous look in his face. Remus put his hand on Harry's shoulder in an attempt to offer some kind of comfort. 

"But why do people always say that Harry has his mother's eyes?" asked Hermione.

"Perhaps it comes from Snape's side of family, Hermione," Remus answered. He, too, still felt disbelief over the truth, but Sirius couldn't possibly lie. He had noticed some time ago that Harry was like Snape in all sorts of odd ways. Harry's cunning side that he showed during the Last Battle, for example. It was just like young Severus.

"So, what now?" asked Harry miserably. 

"Let's go back to my house first, then we can calmly discuss this," Remus said, squeezing Harry's shoulder in reassurance. 

"Okay then," Harry said. Hermione and Ron nodded their agreement. 

***************

They Apparated back to Remus' cottage. The trio had learned to Apparate in their fifth year, taught by Remus and Sirius on their Christmas holiday in preparation for the upcoming battle with Voldemort. It was not fun to Apparate, however, even less than traveling by Floo. Perhaps that was why not all wizards and witches chose to Apparate.

"So, what's your plan, Harry?" asked Hermione after they were all settled comfortably on Remus' couch. 

"I don't know," Harry said. He truly had no idea of what he was supposed to do. This new revelation was so shocking that he wished he hadn't asked Sirius. Perhaps it would have been better if he hadn't learned the truth. No. Harry always preferred truth above all else, no matter how hurtful it was. Besides, he was glad that his other father wasn't Remus. He thought he had fallen for his former teacher. Of course, Harry couldn't possibly pursue Remus, because Remus was his guardian to be. But still, it would be *very* weird if you happened to fancy your own father.

"Will you confront Severus, Harry?" asked Remus.

"I don't know, Remus. I just don't know." Harry sighed in frustration. 

Ron sighed too. Poor Harry, he thought. Hemione felt rather guilty. If she hadn't found out about Harry's parentage, her friend wouldn't have found himself in this mess. True that Snape had donated his seed, but did that made him Harry's father in every sense of the word? He hated Harry. Although it was in such an unusual way, Harry was still his offspring. Hermione did not understand anyone who did not like children, especially their *own* children. 

"Harry, I think you should talk to Severus," said Remus cautiously, afraid to offend Harry.

"What!? He hates me, Remus. What do you think he will say when I walk into his dungeon and say, 'good evening, Sir. By the way, I just found out that I am your son.' That's a bloody brilliant plan, isn't it?"

Now I know where Harry got his sarcasm and wit, thought Hermione. If the situation hadn't been so dire, she would have laughed. 

"Did Sirius tell you why they ultimately used Snape's instead of Sirius'… ehm… er…" Ron blushed.

Hermione could not help smiling at Ron's embarrassment. Remus smiled faintly too. Only Harry did not look amused at all. 

"No, he didn't tell me. Sirius said that he didn't know either. He just knew from James that Snape had decided to use his. James said that Snape's worked better in the potion or something."

"Hmm, perhaps that is one of the reasons why they hate each other so much," said Hermione thoughtfully. 

"I bet."

"Does Dumbledore know?" asked Ron.

"I don't know," replied Harry. "After all, my … ehm… mum…"

"You can still call Lily your mum, Harry. After all, she was pregnant with you," assured Remus.

"Oh, okay. Well, my mum was really pregnant with me. And I really look like my father. James Potter," Harry hastily added.

For a moment Harry remembered all the comments people made about how he looked like James and Lily Potter. No one had ever said that he looked even remotely like Snape. Besides, Snape *hated* him. Surely he wouldn't hate Harry so much if he knew that Harry was his son, right? Surely he would be proud for Harry, instead of constantly mocking his parents, right? No matter how nasty Snape was to Harry, Harry always respected Snape as one of Dumbledore most trusted men. His trustworthiness and loyalty had been proven in the last battle, when he had almost gotten himself killed in order to protect Dumbledore, giving a chance to Harry and Dumbledore to combine their power and destroy Voldemort for good. Snape had earned himself Order of Merlin First Class for his bravery, but he had lost his left leg as the result. Mediwizards from St. Mungo's had replaced his left leg with a charmed wooden leg, but Snape would limp forever. He would never be graceful like before. The tragedy had caused Snape to be even nastier than before. Why on earth must it be Snape? This world was such a terrible terrible place sometimes.

Remus offered Harry a glass of lemonade with a concerned expression. Harry smiled faintly to reassure Remus that he was okay. Perhaps the world wasn't so terrible at all. He drank the lemonade and thanked Remus. 

"You're welcome," the golden-hearted werewolf said. 

Harry thought for a moment and asked, "Remus?" 

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if I stay here for few days? You know, to clear my head. Your house is great, Ron. But sometimes I need a quieter place."

"It's okay, Harry," Ron said.

"Of course, Harry. You can stay here as long as you like. After all this will be your home," Remus smiled. 

Harry hugged Remus gratefully. "I am so lucky to have you, Remus."

Remus hugged Harry back and laughed. "So Padfoot's melodramatic streak has rubbed off on you, eh?"

"Kinda," Harry smiled, feeling better. 

***********

That night was wonderful. Harry transformed into his Animagus form, a stag, and ran through the woods alone, enjoying the cool breeze of night air and playing with Buckbeak, who had known Harry ever since the boy's first successful Animagus transfiguration. Harry felt so carefree as he gazed into the starry night and finally fell asleep on the grass near Remus' cottage. 

***************

It was then that a large cobra slithered unnoticed to the sleeping boy.

*********

Cliché Cliffie I know!

Sorry it takes so long to update. Real life and my other WIPS rear their ugly head. 

Thanks to Lizz for beta reading! 


	5. 5

Chapter 5 

Harry blinked a couple of times, closing his eyes again as the light hit them.. He groaned. His throat felt dry and he felt his head spin. What was wrong? The last thing he remembered was falling asleep outside of Remus's cottage. He tried to open his eyes again, slowly this time. 

"Harry? Harry?" Harry turned and saw a very relieved Remus sitting beside his bed. 

"What happened?" Harry croaked. "Where am I?" 

 "You've been bitten by a snake, Harry. You've been unconscious for almost a week." Remus said. "The mediwizard said that the snake's poison caused a magical disruptions in you because as a Parselmouth, you're not supposed to be bitten by a snake."

"Oh." Harry said weakly and lay back again. The ceiling was white, as were the bed, the nightstand, and the other things. This room was exactly like Sirius'. Was this St.Mungo's? Most likely. 

"Here, drink this," Remus brought him a glass of water. Harry drank hungrily, almost chocked himself. "Slowly, Harry," Remus said. 

"More," Harry said after emptying the glass. 

After drinking two glasses of water, Harry was given a vial of a very foul tasting potion. Having emptied the vial, he felt his eyes closing in their own accord. 

The last thing he remembered was a kiss planted on his scar by Remus. 

The next time Harry woke up, a face was hovering above him. He squinted his eyes. "Sirius?" he said, noticing the black hair that surrounded the face.

"Harry, we were so worried about you!" said Sirius. 

"'m sorry," Harry mumbled, still unable to think straight. After all, he had just slept for... how long?

"How long have I been asleep?" 

"A few days, I guess. I don't know. Remus just told me about you yesterday. Yesterday!" Sirius sounded furious. 

"I'm so sorry, Sirius," said the werewolf. Harry turned and saw Remus' blurry figure sitting on the corner of the room. 

"Sorry!? You're sorry?" Sirius screamed. 

"What's going on here?" A plump woman came in. Judging by her white robe, Harry figured that she was the mediwitch.

"Sorry, Ma'am," Remus apologized.

"You, what are you doing here, interrupting other patients? I'll take you back to your room now," she said sternly. 

Harry groaned. This was certainly not the best way to wake up. Besides, he felt so hungry and thirsty.

"So sorry, Harry," Sirius said. He managed to kiss Harry's temple before the stern nurse moved him from the chair beside Harry's bed to a wheelchair and took him back to his room.

"Thirsty," croaked Harry.

Remus brought him a glass of water. Having emptied the glass, he looked at Remus expectantly and said, "I'm hungry, too."

"Sorry, Harry. You're not allowed to eat anything until Snape gives permission."

"Snape?"

"Yeah, he is the only Potions Master who can make the potion to heal you. The process is very taxing and complicated. He said you mustn't eat or drink anything but water until the poison is out of your system."

Remus put the glass back to the nightstand. "I think Sirius is more incensed because Snape knew about your condition before he did. But how could I help it? He was going through another surgery just a day after you were bitten. I couldn't possibly tell him."

"Yeah," Harry said. "How was Sirius' surgery going, though?"

"As expected. He will be able to walk again, though he must not put a strain on his legs."

"Good." Harry smiled. 

They sat in silence for some time. Remus moved to the chair that had previously been engaged by Sirius and absentmindedly flattened Harry's sheet. Harry was staring at the ceiling, somehow warmed for the fact that his father, Snape though he was, bothered to make the difficult Potion for him. 

"Harry?" Remus asked hesitantly. 

"Yes?"

"I told Severus that you know."

"What???" Harry was shocked. 

"I am sorry… but I have to know. I have to know of why he did that and why he still treated you so badly, knowing that he's your…your…"

"Father," Harry whispered, suddenly feeling his eyes hot with tears.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry to upset you so," Remus brushed a tear that had escaped from the corner of his eye.

"It's okay, Remus," Harry said, suddenly feeling stupid for crying. "What did he say?"

"He said that it was none of my business. But I said that your business was mine too," Remus said. 

Harry felt warmed. So, Harry's business was Remus' too. Harry chided himself for reading Remus' words too far, that was probably because he would become his guardian soon. 

"What else did he say? Why did he do … that, instead of letting Sirius?"

Remus didn't answer.

"Remus?"

"Harry, promise me you won't tell Sirius this," he said in a grave tone.

"Why? What's the matter?" Harry felt anxious now. 

"Sirius, he… he… he can't have children."

"What???"

"Yes. He can't have children, Harry. He is not sterile, but his child would be a Squib because his sperm doesn't carry any magical properties."

"Oh," was all that Harry could say. 

"Yeah. James made Snape swear to secrecy that he wouldn't tell Sirius."

"But… but … what if Sirius wants to have children? He'll be devastated when he finds out by himself."

Remus chuckled. "I don't think Padfoot will have children in any time shortly. You see, he is a gay."

"Oh," Harry said again. For the second time he was dumbfounded.

"And I certainly wouldn't want to have children, as there is a possibility of me passing my lycanthropy to my children."

"What that has anything to do with Sirius?'

"Well…," Remus fidgeted. "You see, Harry. Sirius and I are… a couple."

This time, Harry fainted. 

***************

Sorry for the long wait. *huggles all of you*

Special thanks to Lizz for beta reading.


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